Inaugural High School All-American Stars and Stripes Camp A Success

USA Rugby Trust obtained a $100,000 grant from the Daniels Fund to help USA Rugby host two amateur sporting events. From July 9th to the 13th 100 male and female high school students, 12 coaches, 3 trainers, and numerous support staff gathered at the University of Northern Colorado in Greeley, Colorado for the inaugural High School All-American Stars and Stripes Tournament. Thanks to the generous grant from the Daniels Fund, USA Rugby was able to gather some of the best young players from around the country for this elite competition. The tournament gave hardworking athletes the chance to compete on a national level that provided them recruitment opportunities and fuelled their passion for representing the United States. The Stars and Stripes Tournament allows USA Rugby to identify potential future World Cup and Olympic athletes earlier than ever before and begin to direct and further develop them into high performance players. During the week the athletes participated in training sessions from some of the top youth coaches in the nation with several guest lessons including a kicking session with USA Rugby CEO (and former England captain) Nigel Melville. The skills sessions also provided the opportunity for the coaches to observe and improve their technical abilities. When not working with the athletes, coaches participated in development sessions with Coach Development Manager, Josh Sutcliffe. Off the field, the student athletes participated in personal development sessions including a nutrition talk with Adam Russell, sports psychology with Julie Sutcliffe, and a college admissions session with Karen Fong. The week concluded with the players split into two teams (Stars and Stripes) and facing off in an exhibition match. Six female athletes have been invited to attend a camp with Coach Ric Suggitt and the National Women’s 7s team. You can see pictures from the event on the Youth Department’s Facebook page and the USA Rugby website.

Bill Daniels, a pioneer in cable television known for his kindness and generosity to those in need, established the Daniels Fund to provide grants and scholarships in Colorado, New Mexico, Utah, and Wyoming. For more information, please visit www.danielsfund.org.

About USA Rugby Trust
USA Rugby Trust is a 501c3 nonprofit organization dedicated to supporting the growth and development of the game through USA Rugby’s youth, coach, and referee programs as well as through its National and Age Grade All American Teams. Visit us at usarugby.org/trust to learn more or to make a donation.